Some advice for basic kit needed

[Madmidwife]

Hi!

I have my bike- a Trek 4300, and have realised that I am going to need a few extras!! any advice on the following would be greatly appreciated- I only really want to start at entry level stuff (ie not too expensive!!!) there is just so much out there that a pointer in the right direction would be fab..

- Which type/brand of top/jersey to get
- Which type/brand of trousers (I would prefer padded!)
- Which type/brand shoes to go with SPD pedals
- Which type/brand pedals (from what I have read I am aiming for SPD's- which i assume i need the specialised shoes for)

I have another major problem which I don't know if it is common or I am totally abnormal!!! I get terribly watery eyes and wondered if there are specialised types of glasses ( I would need to have prescription ones).

I wont be doing any heavy off road stuff- or very long distance- and not extreme weather!!!- Only if i get caught out!!

Phew!!! Thanks for reading.....I know a lot of things like this are very subjective- but any points of view much welcomed.

Cheers

Kirsty

 

[peanut]

Hi Kirsty
there will be lots of suggestions tomorrow no doubt.
Re glasses what you need is some wrap-round cycle glasses that fit tightly to the forehead and cheeks to exclude the cold air.Many cheap safety glasses will do this .

you might be able fit a safety glasses over your prescription glasses.

You could look at DHB clothing from Wiggle.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Helly_Hansen_Ladies_Dynamic_Half_Zip_L~S_Base_Layer_AW08/5360044439/
Excellent value. They do an excellent padded undershort for £12.95
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/dhb_Earnley_Ladies_Padded_Undershorts/5360042411/
and a long sleeved top would be a good investment with the winter approaching
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/c/cycle/7/Jerseys_-_L~S/#2,20

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hi

Agree with dhb kit from Wiggle, great value.
Shimano spd shoes are great, allow some room around your toes to allow them to expand in summer and wear thick socks in winter.
Shimano do a single sided spd pedal as well which means you can use your bike with normal shoes for nipping to the shops.
To prevent eyes watering, you can pay a fortune for snazzy shades or go to a good hardware store/trade outlet and get some safety glasses (Screwfix website has loads), you can get trendy styles for less than a tenner and they do the job perfectly well. A Buff is also a good idea for around the neck in the winter and as a bandanna in the summer.
Cheap ski gloves less than a £5 from Chavsports will keep the coldest winter out.
Thick wooly thights worn under shorts are also good as the temp drops.
I'm a cheapskate too, but quality can be had for not a lot.

 

[summerdays]

For shoes - you really need to go out there and try them on... I have wide feet and was told to steer clear of Shimano and ended up with Specialized Ladies Taho ones.

For me I could skip most of the cycle specific clothing - but I like a cycle specific waterproof jacket - I like the Altura Night Vision (but never tried another brand), and gloves - your hands quickly get cold especially in the depths of winter.

Welcome

 

[Madmidwife]

Cheers for all that guys- certainly has started me in the right direction!

 

[palinurus]

You can get prescription cycling glasses. Mine came from a local optician.

There might be some useful information in this thread

 

[ttcycle]

hmm more questions re the clothing..

What type of clothing do you want ie lycra or non lycra? I can advise on the lycra stuff.

I've got some cycling specific lycra stuff as I find it's quick drying and wicks sweat well and is lightweight when you've got it on or if you were to carry extras. +1 for dhb shorts - have the bibshorts myself. Wiggle are a good site to check out for dhb. I picked up some Orca shorts for cheap at a store set up at a Triathlon event - good padding and they came in at £30 but I can't find them anywhere else- http://www.orca.com/ Is the website, do steer clear of the trisuits or tri specific shorts though as they'll be thinner in terms of padding for swimming reasons. The comfiest shorts I have are Mavic but they aren't the cheapest. I would also check out Endura for shorts as they're not too expensive and last quite well in my experience.

+1 for helly hansen base layers- comfy and sweat wicking and seem to wearand wash well.
If you had a local Decathalon store near you -might be worth checking them out for clothing as they can do some good value tops/shorts etc.
Gore bike clothing is great- the jersey's are quite relaxed in their fit - love their waterproof jackets but they do cost quite a bit-might be worth getting a waterproof/windproof as it's getting cooler these days.

Some folk on here swear by Altura but I find the fit is not quite right for me.

Evans are doing 10% off clothing at the moment - if you buy online and quote autumn as the promo code it will give you a discount though you could find things for cheaper elsewhere no doubt.

Regarding the pedals - I use Look Keo sprint for the comfort level cause of the float
(a bit of movement for the knees rather than being locked straight into and forward on the pedals is the quickest and simplest explanation) - I think you can get Look easy or Classics for a good price - with the shoes it's worth going into a shop and trying them on as it's unwise to just buy off the cuff online - but if you know what you're looking for you can then search for bargains online.

Good luck!